The Green Brigade have released a statement in which they accept full responsibility for the banner they displayed at Celtic Park.
It’s a start, I suppose.
Because after that it kind of falls apart.
They should have left it at accepting responsibility.
Because yet again they have failed to see how the media will interpret what they say…
Green Brigade savage Celtic board and insist they will never ‘dilute their politics’
(Record )
WAR OF WORDS
The Green Brigade hit back at Celtic and Peter Lawwell in the wake of Parkhead ban for pyro-packed Hearts tifo and Linfield paramilitary banner
(Sun )
Following the decision by Celtic to close the ‘Green Brigade section’ of the stadium for the next two matches the Green Brigade have hit back at the club with a statement outlining that they will never allow their politics or style to be ‘diluted’.
( Herald )
Celtic ‘Green Brigade’ fans group vow to return with same style and politics following two-match ban from club
- The Green Brigade fans group have vowed to retain their style and politics
- Celtic recently imposed a ban on those in the standing section of their ground
- The ban arrived after incidents during the recent European clash with Linfield
( Mail )
The defiant declaration merely gives ammunition to those who will wait to see what the club does next. If, by allowing the Green Brigade to resume their place in the ground, the club will be seen as condoning the use of pyrotechnics and paramilitary imagery.
That is not going to happen.
There must be room for mediation allowed, and the ultras have not allowed it.
Something has to give, and it won’t be Celtic. The club is has a legal duty to shareholders to protect the brand, and by allowing association with damaging imagery, they will not be doing that.
Thats the reality of the situation.
The issue has provided a major distraction from a lot of work thats been going on around the issue of football governance in Scotland.
In the same week that the Scottish Football Supporters Association launched their bid to get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet, we seem to be more concerned about who is singing what in the ground, even though no indictment has been served for that particular action.
It means that those who watch warily for their jobs can breathe a little easier while their potentially biggest group of opponents tear themselves apart arguing over who should be allowed to say what.
In fact, an Aberdeen fan, reacting to the news that Stewart milne, the clubs chairman, thinks we should forget all about the way the game has been governed and “move on “, pretty much speaks for all of us..
I do disagree with the bit about the Ibrox club bunging officials. They don’t have to bung them anything, they do what they would be asked to do without being asked.
Otherwise, the guy is spot on.
If something isn’t done now, if the proverbial bull isn’t taken by the horns, then its over.
And we do love our football, but enough is enough, when you consider how much money supporters have paid into a game which wasn’t really a game at all…
This is a conservative estimate from Inside the SPFL, on twitter..
It cannot be allowed to continue.
It won’t be allowed to continue, and there are a lot of people working to ensure that.
The real battle is only just starting, and there may be one or two setbacks along the way, but remember, as in any conflict, its not always a good idea to discuss your campaign in full earshot of the enemy.
If you haven’t already got involved with the SFSA, then do so.
It’s not just about removing the current regime, its about how to move forward with a new one, and the survey thats here…SFSA Survey includes a wee bit about that.
If you haven’t done the survey, give it a go, and if you haven’t already joined the SFSA, then do so here..ScottishFSA.org , because its the best way of uniting all of us, whoever we support, against those that only support one club, in a sort of quasi religious way after it departed this mortal coil.
Perhaps we can actually force the media to begin to take this seriously, and perhaps even encourage them to do their jobs properly and throw open the doors of Hampden and let a bit of fresh air in.
Mind you, we’ll need to watch out , as there will be a lot of poisonous air leaving the building…
Perhaps a serious campaign will put an end to the trivialisation of the issue, as illustrated in the reply to a question from BBC’s Off The Pace programme, a light hearted look at football by a fat bloke who doubles as a food critic.. who probably didnt discuss the best example of the very thing he was asking about…
The Clumpany Retweeted BBC Off The Ball
Shout out for the Rangers fans who stood idly by while their club died? That was some let-down. @offtheballbbc
The Clumpany added,
I’ve said on air and on here that if enough fans feel as you do and let clubs know then governing bodies will look again.
How about, and I know its perhaps a little bit radical, but how about you, the journalist paid by a state broadcaster, maybe looking into fans concerns ?
Or maybe getting such things as the Offshore Game Report discussed on air ?
I know, we could even get those at the SFA to respond to allegations of corruption and collusion.
But no, leave it to the fans. Absolve yourself of all responsibility.
Then , when all this is over, and whoever is in charge of recruitment for the BBC, or maybe some editor down in London asks how BBC Scotland missed the biggest sporting scandal in history you can tell them why you didn;t cover it.
I hope you have your answer ready.
Just as I hope Daryl and Grant are getting their answer ready on the Traverso letter issue-I’ll come back to that tomorrow.
Is it true the council have asked everyone to make sure all beer cans and bottles are empty before putting them in the bin ? Its apparently having an adverse effect on our receptacles…
Yesterdays picture…
Caption: Were on the one rope,it maybe a long rope, were on the rope to God knows where.
